


although the sound of the waterfall has ceased

by yonaka



Category: Free!, High☆Speed!
Genre: Chaptered, Chihayafuru AU, Competitive Karuta AU, Family, Gen, Gen Work, Minor Character Death
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-03-14
Updated: 2016-12-27
Packaged: 2018-05-26 18:21:53
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 2,243
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6250471
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/yonaka/pseuds/yonaka
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Much to Nanase Haruka's amazement, his father suddenly proves to be knowledgeable about poetry.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. taki no oto wa

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 滝の音は taki no oto wa  
> 絶えて久しく taete hisashiku  
> なりぬれど narinuredo  
> 名こそ流れて na koso nagarete  
> なほ聞えけれ nao kikoe kere
> 
> Although the sound of  
> the waterfall has ceased,  
> and that long ago,  
> its name, indeed, has carried on  
> and is still heard!
> 
> * Poem by Fujiwara no Kintō. Number 55 in the Ogura Hyakunin Isshu anthology. Translation by Joshua S. Mostow

"You said you were going to show me a waterfall."

The boy looked up at the larger person standing next to him and pressed his lips together in dissatisfaction. The man returned a wry smile.

"I did."

"This isn't a waterfall," the boy said, pointing at a stack of rocks.

The man briefly scratched his head.

"You're looking at one right now."

"These are just a bunch of rocks."

They were in in the garden of Daikaku-ji in Kyoto. The boy and the boy's mother decided to go visit his father and do some sightseeing while they were there. The man lived apart from them due to a job transfer.

"There is no water," the boy said, sounding a little more irritated now. In fact, there was no water to be seen anywhere unless they walked back to where they came from.

"I know, but its name is _Nakoso no taki_. So it really is a waterfall."

The man looked back at his son. The blue in the boy's eyes swirled in confusion. He chuckled a little.

"I bet you're thinking, 'so why does it have a _taki_ in its name when there's no water', right?"

The boy merely settled for looking away from his father and the rocks that were supposed to be a waterfall. At that moment he noticed his mother closing in on them. She had tagged along far behind them and was looking a little bored.

"Well, what do you think? Haruka."

Haruka shrugged at his father's attempt at getting another response out of him.

"Michihiro, what are you doing?" Mother asked.

"Oh, I'm showing Haruka a waterfall."

"Waterfall?"

She frowned at him.

"You know what I mean! From 'The waterfall is no more, but its name lives on.'"

"Oh, I see," She smiled. "That explains Haruka's expression."

Haruka looked away from her at the mention of his facial expression. His gaze rested on the rocks. He still had no idea why it was called a waterfall. It looked more like a spring than anything else. His ideal waterfall was at least a few meters high, so he was a very upset that it failed to meet his expectations.

His mother continued, "Is this about Souhei-san's friend?"

Haruka tilted his head back towards them.

"The one who passed away?"

"Ah, yeah."

His father's expression looked blank. Last week he had returned from Kyoto to attend the funeral together with mother. The deceased was a friend of a friend. Haruka's mother happened to know the mother of the deceased. To tell the truth they would be acquaintances at best. Haruka had never heard of these people before his parents mentioned this funeral. He's already forgotten the family name.

Father changed the subject.

"Haruka, what do you know about poetry?"

He gave a quick answer.

"Nothing."

Mother went to stand next to them, putting Haruka in between her and her husband.

"They read a poem about a waterfall at the funeral service," she said.

"Yeah. I just wanted to show you what no longer is, but still is there in some form."

Haruka stared at his feet. What did that have anything to do with him anyway?

His father crouched down to his level.

 _"Although the sound of the waterfall has ceased, and that long ago, its name, indeed, has carried on and is still heard._ – That’s the poem."

Haruka glanced back at his father in surprise.

"You know about poetry?"

He smiled brightly. People often said that it was a shame that Haruka himself didn't smile as often as his father did.

"Of course! I did tons of poetry reading for karuta."

"Karuta? You did that?"

Come to think of it, he did remember seeing his father watch some karuta matches on television, but he never pegged him down as the type who played karuta.

"Yup! I used to play it a lot with Souhei in middle school. I was pretty good at memorizing the cards and sweeping them, but I never got the hang of distinguishing the sounds," he said, "Unlike Souhei I ended up going to a high school without a karuta club though. Oh man, this is really nostalgic. I wish I could play it again."

His father sounded terribly excited. This was no good.

"You should try it. It's fun!"

Haruka scrunched his nose.

"Sounds boring."

His father grinned.

"Then how about Makoto?"

Haruka frowned. Why talk about Makoto? Is he going to drag Makoto into this too?

"That's right. Makoto-kun likes to read. I'm sure he'd love to play karuta with you."

Haruka heard excitement in her voice. If mother got mixed up in father's whims and fancies, then...

"Haruka?"

"I don't know."

Makoto liked reading books, but Haruka wasn't interested so he never asked about what he read.

"Anyway, karuta is a beautiful sport. Those hundred poets have left some interesting thoughts behind... I was reminded of that when they read that poem. It's comforting... in some way."

His voice tapered off a bit. Mother turned around to look at him.

"Michihiro?"

He stood up.

"Seeing those children at the funeral reminded me of myself... But they're so much younger than when I lost my dad."

Father was staring at the pond in the distance. His facial expression hidden from Haruka. Grandfather passed away long before his parents got married. Mother looked worried.

"They'll be alright. I'm sure."

He whispered, "I wish I could be at home more. These days I get scared..."

Haruka froze at those words. Scared?

"That's enough," she said.

"I'm sorry," his father said, as if suddenly remembering that his little son was standing next to him.

She sighed, patting father's back. "Come on. Let's go back into town."

"...Let's do that."

_Father is scared... Is this about grandma?_

"Coming, Haruka?"

"Yeah."

Haruka took one last look at the waterfall before following his parents.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading the first chapter of this three-parter. I recovered this from a draft which I wrote back in 2014 when I planned on writing a karuta AU series with the Free! characters.
> 
> I have since dropped my plans for any further installments, but I figured some people might be interested in reading how Haruka and Makoto begin their ventures in the wonderful world of competitive karuta and meeting the people who will eventually become their friends and rivals. There are no matches in this fic, however, for that I apologize. OTL


	2. taete hisashiku

Time passed and father came to visit. He cheerfully greeted Haruka and mother. As usual, the first thing father did following that was entering the backroom where grandmother stayed.

Father had no siblings. As a result, Haruka was her only grandchild. She used to spoil him a lot, but lately she started to forget people’s names. It started with the mailman, the Tachibana parents, and even Makoto who visited very often. Fortunately, she still remembered her grandson and her daughter-in-law. Haruka made sure to talk to her every day. However, he didn’t dare to ask whether grandmother forgot about her own son’s name.

 

 

In any case, there was no sign of sadness when father returned from the backroom and approached him with a small box in his hand.

"You don't want it?"

“No.”

Father looked so disappointed at his declaration that all he wanted to do is look away. It was a pitiful expression. If possible, Haruka wanted to make sure that he wouldn't end up looking like his father in the future.

"If you don't want it, you can give it to Makoto-kun," Mother said from behind him.

Haruka was pleased to hear that from her.

An angered voice rose out of his father.

"Hey, Kaneko! I thought you were siding with me!"

She sighed.

"I said it before, you know? You can't force him to play."

His eyebrows twitched.

"Fine."

He shoved his hands into his pockets. His face was glum. His father could look extremely childish for a grown-up.

"Fine,” he repeated. “Just give it to Makoto. Tell him it's a present from Uncle Hiro."

Haruka nodded.

Then after a pause he added, "Oh and give me a better present next time."

Father dropped down to his knees and groaned miserably.

 

The day after his father traveled back for his job, Haruka visited the Tachibana family.

He quickly entered Makoto’s bedroom and pushed the box towards his friend.

"What..."

"I don't need it," Haruka said before he could even be asked.

Makoto blinked and looked down again. He pulled the box closer to his side. It was brand new. He pressed his tiny fingers against the sides of the box and carefully lifted the cover.

"This is...?"

"The hyakunin isshu."

“Eh?”

"You can have it."

Makoto looked a little surprised, then he showed a big smile on his face.

"Thank you, Haru-chan!"

 

 

A few days later Haruka looked listlessly at the pamphlet that Makoto’s father shoved in his hand.

Iwatobi Karuta Society.

_What’s the meaning of this?_

Mother looked over his shoulder.

"Oh, didn't your father tell you? The Tachibanas used to play karuta too. I'm sure they'd love to teach their children how to play it..."

His jaw unconsciously dropped at the gleam in his mother's eyes.

_These people!_


	3. narinuredo

A week passed.

 

The engines started and the sound of the hearse’s tires eventually disappeared.

Makoto stared from the doorgap at the shadows of his parents comforting the Nanase family next to his house. That was the evening Haruka’s grandmother passed away. Aunty Kaneko was taking care of her mother-in-law while Uncle Hiro was away. Haruka’s grandmother died of old age and would be laid to rest next to her husband who passed away decades ago.

 

Makoto found the atmosphere at the funeral suffocating. That was one of the few times he saw Haruka truly upset. He had pressed his hand lightly the first time he met him at the funeral, but Haruka didn’t say a single word. It truly looked like he was about to burst into tears. At his parents’ suggestion, he left Haruka and his family alone for the rest of that day.

Later on he went outside to look at the flowers on the lawn outside the building.

Makoto heard a group of people whispering near the gate of the funeral home.

_“Now that his mother has died, there’s no single reason to stay… “_

_“The Nanase family will move out soon, I heard. They’re city folks alright.”_

_“Kaneko-san once told me she worked for a bank… I suppose it’s a waste to stay in this small village like this and work small jobs.”_

_“Then what about their son? He’s only in grade school.”_

He paused. ‘ _What is this…?’_

Makoto pretended not to have heard any of this and ran back to his parents.

 

Days later Makoto found Uncle Hiro and Haruka sitting on the porch of their home. Their faces looked equally glum.

 _‘They’re fighting!’_ Makoto realized and gulped.

It was bizarre how much their expressions looked alike. Surely, neither father or son would admit to it.

He tightly held onto the box Haruka had given him a few weeks ago.

Uncle Hiro looked up, becoming aware of Makoto’s presence.

 “Makoto?”

This was the first word he heard Uncle Hiro say ever since the funeral.

However, Haruka didn’t look up. _‘He’s definitely angry,’_ Makoto thought with a wry smile on his face.

He turned back to face Uncle Hiro.

“Thank you for the Hyakunin Isshu the other day…” Makoto said. “…my parents are teaching me how to play it. It’s a lot of fun!”

“Ah, you really like karuta huh…” he said with a small smile. “Now you’ve mentioned it, are you going to the Iwatobi Karuta Society?”

Makoto shrugged.

“Well… I wanted to join with Haruka, but he keeps refusing.”

“Really?”

Uncle Hiro looked at his wife in the back. She shrugged her shoulders as well.

“…Seriously, Haruka. You sure know how to get along with people,” Uncle lamented.

No reply came. Haruka was still in the same position he was in before, but his lips pursed.

Makoto sighed.

“Haruka?”

Suddenly Haruka snapped.

“I don’t want to leave! I want to stay!”

A silence enveloped the Nanase house with Haruka at its center. Makoto gulped. So the rumors were true… His parents wanted to leave this town.

Haruka folded his arms and Uncle Hiro made an awkward face.

The one who broke the silence was his mother. She moved over and stood in front of Haruka.

“Fine, let’s do a trade,” Aunty Kaneko said. “You can stay and I remain with you until you graduate middle school.”

Haruka looked up with suspicion.

She continued, “The condition is that you join the Society with Makoto.”

“What?” The boys said in unison and blinked.

Uncle Hiro’s jaw had dropped.

Haruka glared daggers at Makoto. He returned an apologetic expression.

Then Haruka looked his mother straight in the eye again.

“What if I don’t want to?”

“Hmm… I’ll let you leave if you beat me at karuta,” she said.

Uncle Hiro scrambled to his feet and went over to her.

“Hey Kaneko, isn’t that a little too much?”

She glared at her husband.

“I don’t think so. It’s a good tradeoff for letting me stay here. I might as well have a little fun while I’m here.”

She looked at her son. Haruka seemed positively intimidated.

He whispered to her, “But you’re an A class player and a runner-up in the finals…”

 “A class?”

Makoto knew what that meant. Both of his parents were B class players. He had seen both of them play against each other, but this was on another level.

Aunty Kaneko shook her head and smiled.

“That was years ago. I’ve been out of touch since our university days… Haruka will beat me in no time.”

Hearing this, Haruka blinked and started to ponder.

“…You’re totally exaggerating,” Uncle Hiro said.

“I’m not,” she sternly said.

“Fine.”

Haruka’s single word silenced his parents. He looked at Makoto, who widened his eyes at what he said next.

“I’ll join.”


End file.
